Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to scuttle the 2019 elections by disenfranchising eligible voters.
The exercise is kick-starting this Saturday with the Presidential and National Assembly polls in which no fewer than 90 political parties were listed to participate.
Adams gave this warning while speaking at the investiture of TheLead Magazine in Lagos, where he bagged ‘Man of The Year Award.’
The event, held at the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Exhibition Centre,(LCCI), Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, had in attendance, prominent personalities, including former Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Jokotola Pelumi; former Commissioner for Transportation, Professor Bamidele Badejo; Chairman, Lagos State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Dr Quasim Akinreti, among others.
The Aare spoke against the backdrop of his personal experience, saying it was on account that he did the needful, otherwise his Permanent Voter Card (PVC) would have been denied him by the electoral umpire.
“If not that I shouted out, for no just reason, the electoral body would have denied me my Permanent Voter Card,” he said, querying: “What about other less privileged Nigerians in the same situation?”
Adams, however, said he would not want to attribute the INEC’s action to any political interest, adding that the body no doubt needed to be admonished to do the right thing.
“I don’t want to attribute the action to any political interest but the body should be warned to do the right thing,” Aare said.
Speaking further, Adams, who doubled as the Chairman of the event, spoke about the role of the media in restoring Nigerian’s hope, especially, during the long years of the military, described the media as the mirror of the society, saying it had been wonderful to him, especially, in its reportage.
“Let me appreciate the publisher of the magazine, Mr Abayomi Ajibola, who, I will describe as a long distance runner. Despite the harsh economic situation, he was determined.
“And against all odds, he goes into publishing. This is no mean feat. More importantly, I want to use this opportunity to urge all our brothers and sisters in the media to be committed to its natural role as the Fourth Estate of the Realm,” the Aare said.
He described the Award as a big honour for him to be counted as a worthy recipient of TheLead Magazine Man of the Year 2018.
The former speaker, Hon. Pelumi, in his speech, applauded the courage of the publisher, saying the magazine had the potentials to make it in the market.
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He, however, enjoined the management of the Lead Magazine to extend the scope of its reportage beyond the maritime sector.
“I am with a strong belief that the new medium will go places. The Lead Magazine has all it takes to excel in the industry given the experience and exposure of the publisher and the team,” he said.
The guest speaker, Professor Bamidele Badejo, flayed the media for not doing enough on tasking government on national development, even as he maintained that the wheel driving the economy of every country was transportation.
“I want to be frank in my speech. I am particularly interested in the role of the media. Every day in Nigeria, media reports politics and sports. And if I may ask: How many times have you reported climate change, health and the transport sector, which remains the best that could be harnessed for national growth and development? The maritime sector is bigger than oil and gas. But we have nothing to show for it.
“Water is everlasting. For example, 28 states of the Federation can be accessed through the waterways. From Lagos to Port Harcourt, it is three hours on the waterways, but on the road, you spend 11 hours. We inherited the railway from the colonialists, but sadly, up till today, we have not improved on the one we inherited.
“On this note, I want you to pull yourselves together, pick up issues that solve national problems. We need to do a lot if indeed, we want to help Nigeria and the generations yet unborn. The media must change its reportage. Please change your orientation. Transport is life, it plays a significant role in the efficient running of modern society.
“We can easily develop our transport infrastructure. Our transport system is nothing to write home about. But in truth, developing our transportation is key, mobility enhances prosperity and immobility perpetuates poverty,” he said.
and then